


Run Like Hell

by ZoneRobotnik



Series: Run Like Hell [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: High School, Post-Weirdmageddon, dipper has post-traumatic stress disorder, eye-bats are scary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-29
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-29 23:17:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6398251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoneRobotnik/pseuds/ZoneRobotnik
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dipper runs, he remembers running for his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wings

**Author's Note:**

> Gravity Falls © Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

It was the first day of school, after the Pines twins had returned to Piedmont, California. Their summer in Gravity Falls, Oregon had left them with both good memories and bad, but they had to move past it and continue on to their new lives as teenagers!

Mabel adjusted her backpack, looking at her brother as he pulled on his. “Ready to go, broseph?” She asked with a grin.

Dipper nodded, looking at her. “Yeah, let's go.” He headed for the door, Mabel right behind him.

Their mother walked up to them. “Dipper, Mabel, I packed you lunch for school. I don't know what they're serving at the high school, but I've heard horror stories of kids being half-starved by lunch menus so...just to be safe.” She handed them both lunch boxes, one with a space design and the other with kittens and puppies.

“Thanks, mom!” Mabel took the one with kittens and puppies and Dipper took the space one.

“Yeah, thanks.” Dipper smiled.

Mrs. Pines smiled and pulled them both into a hug. “Be safe, both of you. I wish I could walk you to school, but your father said that you're not little kids anymore and...oh, my babies!” She held them tighter.

“Mom!” Mabel hugged her back. “I love you, but we gotta go or we'll be late, okay?”

Mrs. Pines nodded and released them, chuckling as Dipper dramatically gasped for air. “Take care, and have fun!”

“We will!” Mabel headed for the door, Dipper right behind her. “Bye, mom!”

“See you when we get home!” Dipper said, closing the door behind him.

Mabel jumped the two steps from their house and walked out to the sidewalk, leaving the gate open for Dipper. He followed her and closed the gate behind him. “Hey, bro-bro. Wanna race to school?” Mabel grinned.

“Race?” Dipper looked at her.

“Yeah, like old times!” Mabel nodded.

Dipper shrugged. “Okay, let's race.”

“Ready...set...GO!” Mabel took off at a run, pulling ahead of Dipper. He laughed, letting her take the lead because he knew she'd love the gloating rights. As she reached the end of the block, though, and he was still halfway there, he felt a panic come on and he ran faster. “Mabel...Mabel, wait!” He called.

She didn't stop, didn't even look back to see him. Dipper ran faster, the found of flapping leathery wings in his ears as he hurried to catch up to her quickly-dwindling form. He finally got closer to her, keeping pace, and he felt a wave of relief go through him as he ran beside her.

“What were you yelling earlier?” Mabel asked.

Dipper didn't answer, they had to escape the wings, the horrible wings that chased them. He glanced behind them and saw an unlucky person be turned to stone and carried away into the red sky. They finally reached the school – shelter! – and he threw his arms around her as soon as they were inside. Safe. They were safe!

“Dipper?” Mabel frowned. “Are you okay? You look like you're gonna pass out!”

“Is he alright?” An unfamiliar voice asked.

Dipper blinked and looked towards the person. Who was...this wasn't Gravity Falls. He slowly released Mabel and ran a hand through his hair, silently cursing the no-hats rule of this new school. “Yeah...I'm okay.” He told the stranger.

The teen shrugged and walked on to the lockers.

Mabel took Dipper's hands into hers. “...Are you sure you're okay?”

“...Eye-bats.” Dipper looked out at the blue sky outside the front doors. “I...I heard eye-bats.”

“Eye-bats?” Mabel raised an eyebrow. “You mean...” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “ _Bill's_ eye-bats? Here?”

Dipper shook his head. “No, I...it was just my imagination. Sorry.” He gripped the strap of his backpack. “Let's find our lockers.”


	2. Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper gets a visit during lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

“Well, it hasn't been so bad so far.” Mabel said as they sat down to lunch.

“It's the first day, mostly introductions and finding your classes.” Dipper said as he opened his lunchbox. He noted that the sandwich halves were cut into squares and not triangles like his mother used to do and made a mental note to thank her for remembering that he _didn't like triangles_.

“Hey, you! Kid!” A man jogged over to them. “Can I talk to you?”

Dipper and Mabel looked at him with the same confused expression and the man did a double-take before recovering. “Uh, the boy.” The man clarified.

“Sure. I'm not moving, though.” Dipper unwrapped his sandwich.

“I saw you running earlier, on the way to school. That was incredible!” The man said. “What's your name, son?”

“Dipper Pines.” Dipper glanced up at him. “Why?”

“With speed like yours, I bet you'd do great on the track! How about you come to try-outs after school?” The man suggested. “Please say you'll come, the guys just don't believe me when I talk about how fast you were going!”

Dipper glanced at Mabel, who smiled encouragingly. “...Okay, I guess I can try out.” He said, looking back at his sandwich.

“Great! I'm Thomas Fawkes! You can call me Mr. Fawkes, or just Tom if you want to!” He held out a hand to Dipper.

Dipper glanced at his hand and then up at the man's face. “...Sorry, I don't shake hands.” He said, shaking his head.

“Ah, okay. I won't push you, then.” Tom moved his hand back. “Anyways, I'll see you at P.E. Later? I'm the teacher here, by the way!”

“Sure.” Dipper nodded.

“Great! Enjoy your lunch! Gotta get good and strong!” He jogged away.

Dipper looked at Mabel. “...That was....weird.”

“Well, he's right. I actually had to go faster than usual to keep up with you once you caught up to me.” Mabel shrugged. “You okay, bro?”

“I'm fine. I told you, I just...” He sighed. “Those three days...it was a nightmare. I couldn't stop to sleep or eat...I just kept on running, and only stopped when I was about to faint. The few times I managed to find shelter for a few hours, I took tiny naps and tried to contact you.”

Mabel cringed. “...And I never replied.”

Dipper nodded. “But, it's not your fault! If Bill hadn't trapped you...” He faded off and continued eating his sandwich.

Mabel nodded, but couldn't help but feel guilty. She still hadn't told Dipper about how she'd  _handed over_ the rift to Bill, and she didn't know if she ever could. He'd hate her for sure if he knew.

“So, what are you gonna do?” Dipper asked.

“Huh?” Mabel looked at him.

“Well, apparently I'm being recruited for track. I suspect it's a boys-only thing, or else they'd have invited you, too.” Dipper sighed. “Though, honestly, running to entertain a crowd and win a medal wasn't my career of choice...”

“Well, maybe you can join the paranormal club. Or start one, if there isn't any.” Mabel shrugged. “Besides...you only ran that fast because you thought you heard an eye-bat. Maybe you won't run that fast this time?”

Dipper shrugged. “I guess we'll see how I do in P.E., they're probably gonna start us off with the pacer test.”

Mabel cringed. “Oh man, I remember that thing. It was fun at first, but it just keeps going on...and on...and on...” She stared fearfully towards her imagination.

“Yeah, I know. I was there, too. I fell before you did.” Dipper nodded, taking another bite of his food.

“Now look at you.” Mabel grinned. “Recruited by the track team! Maybe I'll be a cheerleader!”

“Heh, I could see you waving pom-poms.” Dipper opened his bottle of pop and drank from it.

“Imagine all the amazing stuff I could do for the team spirit!” Mabel smiled brightly.

“Finish eating, Mabel.” Dipper chuckled.

“Oh, right. We have lunch.” Mabel finally opened her food and started to chow down. Dipper opened her bottle of pop for her and she took it, drinking every few bites.

After they finished eating, they went to their lockers to put the lunchboxes away and headed to their next class.

“Next is math...you gonna be okay?” Mabel asked.

Dipper took a deep breath and released it. “I can handle this. There's no eye...I can handle it. It's just shapes. There's triangles everywhere, I have to endure them sometime. I'm not gonna let him make me fail _math_ of all classes!”  
  
Mabel nodded. “Good answer, broseph. Let's go in and face the triangles.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigonometry?  
> Ohhh, yeah, baby!


	3. Triangles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper isn't handling trigonometry as well as he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

As it happened, they didn't go straight to the lesson. The teacher had a moment of getting to know each other, which was made awkward when one of the girls, who was named “Alexis”, said that they weren't a girl and were working on a sex-change so DON'T call them a girl, they would beat you up. The sudden aggression from the quiet girl—boy—ended the “get to know you” time and they opened their textbooks.

And Dipper promptly got a headache as soon as he look at the triangles on the page. Sighing, he rubbed his forehead and listened to the teacher talk about what was on the page. The headache, he noticed, was akin to the same one he had after getting his body back from Bill. He rubbed at his arm, shivering at phantom pains from forks being repeatedly stabbed into it.

“Dipper? You okay?” Mabel whispered from the seat next to him.

Dipper glanced at her and gave a tiny nod before moving his hand away from his arm. What could he say, that he was experiencing phantom pains about an event he didn't even tell Mabel about? She knew he had been dropped down the stairs and was hurt, but he never told her the extent of the damage. Or about the harassment in his mind after the fact. 

The teacher was speaking, but all he could hear was the demon's high laughter in his ears. He rubbed at his head again and focused on the book instead, but the words were starting to swim and he shook his head a bit to clear it. As long as he kept this up, he could focus. If only he could ignore the laughing, the taunting, the feeling of helplessness, hopelessness, despair, loneliness--

“Hey.” He felt a tap on his shoulder and jolted in his seat. He turned to see Alexis behind him. “You're going to break your pencil if you keep holding it that tightly.”

Dipper looked at his hand. When had he started shaking? And when had the teacher stopped talking? 

“Are you feeling alright, Mr. Pines?” The teacher asked.

“...Yeah.” Dipper forced a smile. “Just...didn't sleep well. First day jitters.”

The teacher nodded. “Well, hopefully you sleep better tonight. After you do your homework, of course!” She went back to teaching, and Dipper went back to rubbing his arm.

“Dipper...” Mabel sighed. She knew it wasn't lack of sleep, her brother had slept all night. And even lack of sleep didn't leave him _shaking_. Maybe the triangles were getting to him. She couldn't wait until class was over, even without eyes she felt like _he_ was watching her.

Finally, class ended and she and Dipper got out as soon as the teacher said they could. Out in the hall, Dipper slumped against the wall and groaned. “That was...unbearable.”

“Think you can handle the rest of the day?” Mabel asked.

“It's fine now that the triangles are gone...” Dipper looked up at her. “I just...”

“I know.” Mabel knelt down and gently gripped his elbow, helping him stand. “We could go for another class, it's not too late to arrange that, I think.” She offered.

“No.” Dipper frowned. “If I change classes, he wins. He'll have forced me into running. I won't let him win, Mabel. I refuse to let him win.” He stood up straight. “I didn't let him beat me before. None of his goons were able to get me, and I won't let him get me now.”

“Sounds like you got drama.”

Mabel and Dipper yelped and looked next to them. Alexis was standing near them, their eyebrow raised and their arm across their chest. “Sorry, I overheard when I came over to see if he needed the nurse. What happened?”

“Just...stuff.” Dipper glanced away.

“You don't wanna talk about it?” Alexis shrugged. “I guess I can understand that. We all got 'stuff' in our lives. I guess what's important is that you're not letting it get in your way.” They walked off. “See you at phys, Pines.”

“She's—he's--surprisingly nice.” Mabel commented, watching them go. “You feel up to going, Dipper?”

“Yeah.” Dipper nodded. “Let's go to the next class.” He glanced at his textbook. “After we drop by the lockers.” Why did the cover have to have so many _triangles_?

–

“Alright, everyone! Line up against the wall and when I blow the whistle, run to the other side. By the time I blow the whistle again, you should have touched the other wall and started running back here! Now move!” Tom blew his whistle and the kids took off running.

The Pacer Test. Dipper had dreaded it as a kid and it wasn't any better now. He ran to the wall and touched it and then started to run back, Mabel doing the same. The whistle went off again and again, and as he ran he started to realize how high-pitched the whistle was, and how similar to a bat's cry, and then he was hearing flapping, leathery wings again and his eyes widened as he ran faster. He saw Mabel struggling to keep up and held out a hand to her. She looked at him and shook her head, running on her own. They hit the wall and went back to the other one, and even though Mabel started to fall behind again she wouldn't take his hand. They had to escape the bats, had to run, run, run! Mabel was trying to be strong, he understood that. They ran on and on until finally Mabel ran out of breath, waved him on, and ducked into shelter to wait for him to double back and find her.

Before he knew it, the whistle had stopped and he was still running. Mabel ran over and caught his arm. “Dipper, you can stop now! It's time for the second group to go!”

Dipper blinked and looked around. Right...School, not Gravity Falls. And anyway, Mabel hadn't been running with him then. She had been trapped, and he was searching for her. He followed her to the side and sat down against the wall, watching as the second group started going.

Tom had stars in his eyes as he watched Dipper sit down and then he started to blow the whistle again.

“Need water?” Alexis asked, kneeling next to them with a bottle. “You ran for a while, Pines.”

Dipper took the offered water bottle and drank some of the water, until the mostly-full bottle was almost empty. He handed it back and nodded. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Alexis wiped their black hair out of their face and then finished off the bottle. “You joining Track?”

“I got asked to, so I guess I'll try out. You?” Dipper asked.

“I'm gonna try. Assuming they don't decide to exclude me because I'm a 'girl'.” Alexis made a face.

“Yeah, that is pretty unfair. My sister is a great runner, but they only asked me even though we were together.” Dipper nodded.

“I saw, you both are pretty good.” Alexis looked at Mabel cheering on the runners. “She gonna try out for cheer?”

“Yeah, that's the plan. She's pretty good at cheering.” Dipper smiled fondly at his twin.

Alexis nodded. “So, why did you look so scared?”

“Huh?” Dipper looked at them.

“When you were running. When you really got going, you looked like you had Hell on your heels.” Alexis looked at him.

Dipper sighed, running a hand through his hair. “...I guess because I thought I did. I had a pretty wild summer.”

“Ever gonna share that story?” Alexis asked.

“I dunno...maybe eventually. I barely know you.” Dipper shrugged.

“That's true.” Alexis looked back at the runners.

Dipper nodded, watching the runners while the whistling repeated in his ears and the distant sound of high-pitch laughter haunted his mind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's Dipper gonna do on the track?
> 
> ((A.N.: This is my first time putting a transgender in my stories, so if I do some kind of mistake about it, feel free to tell me.))


	4. High Pitch Blond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for tryouts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls © Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

“Well, guess I'm off to try-outs.” Mabel shrugged, the two heading for the locker rooms.

“Yeah, me too.” Dipper sighed. “I'm gonna miss you.”

“Eh, I'll be just across the field.” Mabel grinned and opened the girls' locker room door. “See you there.”

Dipper nodded, heading for the boys' locker room. As soon as he stepped in, he noticed that he was being stared at and looked at the other boys. “...What?”

“I saw you in math class. Are you sure you're _stable_ enough for this?” One of the boys asked.

“I was just tired.” Dipper said, going to his locker. “I can still run you off the field.”

“Oh yeah? Wanna bet?” The boy sneered.

Dipper glanced at him. “I don't make bets, deals or anything else.” He scowled a bit, noticing the extremely yellow color of the blond boy's hair.

“You say you can run me off the field? Prove it. And if I win, I get to ask out your sister.” The blond said, opening his own locker.

Dipper rolled his eyes. “You can try, but all summer guys tried to ask her out and were turned down. She's not an easy girl to impress.” He pulled out his P.E. uniform and started to change.

“Maybe they just didn't have the right _charm_.” The boy said haughtily.

Dipper chuckled, shaking his head. “Or maybe too much. You can ask her out if you want to, but if she turns you down, then that's it.” He pulled off his shirt. “She hates persistent guys.”

“I bet I can convince her.” The blond finished dressing and walked out to the field through the other door. Dipper did the same, walking out with the others.

“Hey, Pines.” Alexis walked up to him. “Don't let that guy get to you, alright? He's just trying to rile you up, everyone can see you and sister are close.”

“Well, it's like I told him. He can flirt, but I doubt he'll get anywhere.” Dipper stretched before going to join the others at the line.

“Alright, boys, let's see how well you do on the track! Thirty laps around, on my signal!” He held up an air-soft gun.

“You're sooo gonna get creamed.” The blond said from next to Dipper.

Dipper rolled his eyes. “In your dreams.”

“No, in your sister's.” The blond said, and then they were taking off at a run.

Dipper kept pace with the others, trying to keep focused on the track, but after half a lap of keeping equal with the blond, he started to hear the leathery wings flapping behind him and picked up the pace. He had to get away, get away! Mabel needed him, he had to escape and find her!

“Hey, what the--” The blond coughed as dust from Dipper's shoes hit his face and then he sped up, trying to keep up with Dipper's panicked pace.

Dipper didn't hear him, all he could hear was the sound of flapping wings as Gravity Falls was in ruins around him. He could only run straight, turning when needed, and the bats were ever-relentless. As he the only one left? Why were they all after him? He had to keep running!

**–**

Mabel looked over from her own practice and noticed Dipper had pulled ahead of the group. She couldn't see his face, though, was he scared again? She did as the coach ordered, but Dipper was constantly on her mind.

When they finished, she looked over and saw that Dipper was still running, the others off to the side watching in disbelief because he hadn't stopped yet. Frowning, she looked at the coach. “Miss Harris, may I be excused?”

“Of course, Mabel. Great job, by the way - you're definitely in!” The coach smiled.

Mabel nodded and ran for the track, stopping in the lane that Dipper was running in. “Dipper! Stop!” She yelled.

Dipper looked at her, recognition and confusion in his eyes, and then they were rolling on the track together as he stopped too late.

“Ah, sorry Mabel!” Dipper said, sitting up and looking at her. “Oh geez, your uniform...”

“It's just dirt, I'll get that practicing routine.” Mabel got up, dusting herself off, and offered Dipper a hand. “So...I'd say they're all pretty shocked and impressed.” She gestured to the rest of the track team.

“Uh, yeah.” Dipper rubbed the back of his head. “So, uh, how did you do?”

“I'm in!” Mabel beamed.

“Great!” They threw their arms around each other in excitement. After a bit, they parted with a pat on the back and headed for their respective locker rooms.

**–**

“How did you do that? Where do you get the stamina?” The blond asked Dipper. “You left me in the dust!”

Dipper pulled a water bottle out of his locker and drank from it. “I just...run.” He shrugged.

“Well, remind me not to make any bets with you in the future!” The blond laughed.

“No deals, no bets.” Dipper grabbed his towel and headed for the showers.

“Well, we haven't really introduced ourselves, have we? I'm Phil!” The blond followed him with his own towel.

Dipper stopped short. “...Did you say 'Bill'?” He asked.

“Nah, Phil! With a P!” Phil corrected.

Dipper nodded slowly and walked on. Of course this wasn't Bill, even if he looked and sounded like him. Bill's body was miles away in Gravity Falls and his soul was gone forever. Phil just unfortunately strongly reminded Dipper of the demon and why was he still _following_ him?

He got to one of the shower stalls and closed it before Phil could try following him in – probably an illogical fear, but you never know with Bill—Phil.

The water running down his naked body was refreshing and best of all it didn't make him think about anything to do with Bill Cipher. As long as he tuned out the world, he could enjoy this short break from the hallucinations and confusions.

It sounded like Phil tried to talk to him, but Dipper didn't answer and by the time he got out, Phil had left the locker room.

Mabel was waiting for him outside, freshly cleaned from her own tryouts. “Ready to go home?”

“Yeah, but no racing.” Dipper chuckled. “I'm done running.”

“Let's go get our bags.” Mabel headed for the lockers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost feel bad for Phil. Almost. He's like a typical frat boy - another thing similar to Bill.


	5. Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a stressful day at school, Dipper just needs someone to talk to that understands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

The trip home was filled with discussion about their day. Mabel chatted about the girls and the cheerleading routine and Dipper talked about how the rest of the track team were.  
  
“And there was this guy called Phil that kept trying to talk to me, but I kind of tuned him out. He's gonna be flirting with you, by the way.” Dipper said as they reached the house.  
  
“Aw, really?” Mabel sighed dramatically. “First day, and I'm already being sought after by the menfolk!”  
  
Dipper chuckled and then they went in.  
  
“Welcome back!” Mrs. Pines smiled. “Did you have a good day?”  
  
“Yep. Got homework, so we'll see you at dinner.” Dipper walked by his mother, pausing to kiss her expectant cheek before quickly moving on in a flustered way. She smiled, watching him go.  
  
“Well, my homework can wait.” Mabel stuck her tongue out. “Mom, I got into the cheerleading team! And Dipper's in track and field!”  
  
“Really?” Mrs. Pines looked towards the stairs.  
  
 **–**  
  
Dipper got to their room and closed the door behind him, heading for his computer. He checked his instant messaging service, sighing in disappointment when he scanned the people on his list. “Guess they don't have internet. I don't know if they could answer a call, either, then.” He rubbed the back of his head and looked towards the hat Wendy had given him. “I need to talk to him, though...” He stood up, pacing the room.  
  
Why was he having these hallucinations? Was it just him? Who else could he talk to about it? He didn't want to bother Wendy with is, and he doubted she'd understand any more than Mabel would. They had never been at Bill's mercy, tortured both inside and out. He stopped and pulled out his cell-phone, scanning the numbers.  
  
“Well...it's worth a shot. I mean, I assume she knows everyone.” He mumbled, dialing a number and bringing it to his ear.  
  
Three rings went by before it was picked up. “Hey, Dipper.”  
  
“Hi, Pacifica. Uh...you wouldn't happen to know Gideon's number, would you?” Dipper asked.  
  
“I do, but what do you want it for?” Pacifica asked.  
  
“I want to talk to him. It's about...” Dipper glanced to his side and spoke quietly. “Bill.”  
  
Pacifica was silent for a bit. “...Alright, but if he starts freaking out, change the subject. He's been through enough from that demon.” She told Dipper Gideon's number and he committed it to memory before they said good-bye and hung up.  
  
Dipper then dialed Gideon's number and waited. One ring...two rings...three rings...four rings...was Gideon going to pick up? Six rings...maybe he didn't want to answer a call from unknown number. Ugh, why didn't he think about that? Eight rings...  
  
“Hello?”  
  
Dipper nearly dropped the phone in surprise. “Gideon?”  
  
“...How did you get this number?”  
  
Dipper groaned internally. “I asked Pacifica for it. I needed to talk to someone, and no one else would understand. I've been having...hallucinations. And dreams.”  
  
Gideon was silent, and Dipper was starting to wonder if he hung up on him before he finally spoke. “About Bill?”  
  
“Bill...the eye-bats...all of it.” Dipper said nervously. “Have you...?”  
  
“I had to sit out of gym class today. They were doing Zumba. Do you know what Zumba is, Pines?” Gideon asked.  
  
“...Dancing?” Dipper racked his brain for what Zumba looked like.  
  
“Yes. Dancing. I felt sick from the very thought of having to dance.” Gideon replied. “Your hallucinations are a by-product of your trauma, just as I get ill from having anything to do with dancing, or if I think I see Bill out of the corner of my eye, or hear laughter that resembles his. And my dreams are filled with memories of what happened. And Guilt. Can you imagine the guilt I suffer through? I hear voices blamin' me for the apocalypse.”  
  
Dipper sighed. “Gideon, it's not your fault...”  
  
“Yes, it is. Even if your uncle wrote the Journals, I chose to bring the monster back after thirty years, despite all the prophecies, all the warnings, and all because I wanted revenge.” Gideon said bitterly.  
  
“Look if you really want to take a bit of blame, fine. But don't take it all upon yourself. My uncle and I also had a hand in it.” Dipper frowned. “For me, it's running. I'd just be running, and then I'd...zone out, and forget where I am, and start hearing the eye-bats and I just...panic and run faster. And now I'm on the track and field team because apparently me running for my life is good for earning medals.”  
  
“Pft.” Gideon chuckled on the other end. “Well, it's not like you could explain what happened. Even without the Never Mind All That act, which by the way is preventing me from being able to find a therapist to talk to about it, the people back at your hometown wouldn't believe all you went through.”  
  
“That's true.” Dipper sighed.  
  
“I can't sleep without hearin' him orderin' me to dance. I hate to admit it, but we're all each other has got for this.” Gideon said gloomily.  
  
“So...” Dipper hesitated. “Do you mind if I call again?”  
  
“Sure. If I don't pick up, then leave a message.” Gideon replied. “I'll get back to you.”  
  
“You promise?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Unless I'm dead or in a coma, I promise.” Gideon chuckled a bit. “It's nice to have someone to talk to that--”  
  
“Understands?” Dipper cut in, nodding. “Yeah. It's really nice. Also, I met a guy called Phil today...he reminds me of Bill, but I know he's not.  
  
“That'll happen.” Gideon sighed. “Even if you forget everything, you'll still feel a reaction to the person. Don't let Bill push you away from what could be a good friendship.”  
  
“Same to you.” Dipper glanced at the door. “I think Mabel's coming. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?”  
  
“Whenever you need to, Pines. I have homework, anyway.” Something rustled in the background of Gideon's side of the call. “Tell her I said hello.”  
  
“Will do.” Dipper smiled and then they hung up, just as Mabel came into the room.  
  
“Were you on the phone?” Mabel asked. “Mom baked brownies, but you didn't come when she first called you.”  
  
“I was talking to Gideon; he said hi, by the way. Turns out he needed to talk, too.” Dipper said, saving Gideon's number to his phone.  
  
“How's he doing?” She asked, walking over and setting her bag on her bed.  
  
“Well, thanks to the Never Mind All That act, he can't see a therapist about what happened.” Dipper sighed, pocketing his phone. “So...brownies?”  
  
“Brownies.” Mabel nodded, heading for the door again. “Better hurry, or I'm feeding yours to Waddles!” She ran out.  
  
“Hey!” Dipper laughed, running after her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He's not a therapist, but Gideon understands better than any therapist would what Dipper is going through.


	6. Phil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper opens up to his Bill-like classmate and sees the differences between the two blonds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

“Hey, Pines!” Phil ran up to Dipper as he stood at his locker. “Hey, buddy! Man, you really blew us all away the other day! You got the best time of all of us!” He stopped next to Dipper's locker, then grinned at Mabel next to hers. “Heey, Sister Pines!”  
  
“I'm not a nun.” Mabel stuck her tongue out at him, flipping her ponytail. “Don't call me Sister.”

“So, uh, sorry if I upset you at all. I mean, you just walked off mid-conversation.” Phil rubbed the bac of his head.

“Oh. Right, sorry. I had a lot on my mind.” Dipper said, pulling out his books and putting his bag in his locker. “Uhm, what were you saying then?”

“Well, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime. Maybe the weekend? We could catch a movie!” Phil beamed.

“Uh...sure. Movie. Okay.” Dipper glanced away. “Nothing wrong with a dark building with loads of people between me and the exit...”

“Oh, stop being a downer!” Mabel swatted his head.

Dipper rubbed his head. “Okay, fine. A movie sounds good.”

“Are you sure?” Phil looked concerned. “I mean, are you claustrophobic? We can make sure to get an end seat.”

“No, I'm just..” Dipper sighed. “I got issues.”

“Anything I can do to help?” Phil asked.

Dipper pursed his lips. “...No. Thanks for the offer, anyway.”

“Well, if you need to talk, I'm here.” Phil grinned.

Dipper glanced at him. “...Sure. Maybe.” He turned to go. “See you in class.” He walked off.

“Is he normally so withdrawn?” Phil asked Mabel as Dipper walked away.

“We had a pretty rough summer.” Mabel said, sighing. “Someone...hurt Dipper bad. You kind of remind him of that guy, I guess.”

“Ouch, sorry to hear that. Should I keep my distance, then?” Phil asked.

“No, no. You might be just what he needs to recover.” Mabel shook her head.

**–**

“Dipper, you alright?” Alexis frowned as Dipper passed their desk. “You don't look so good. Do you need the nurse?”

“I'm fine.” Dipper shook his head. “Just didn't sleep well, that's all.” He assured his friend, heading for his own desk.

Mabel came in a bit later and sighed, taking her seat and looking at Dipper. “Do you need to talk?”

“I'll call Gideon later.” Dipper mumbled.

“And why not me?” Mabel asked.

“Because...” Dipper glanced at her. “Dippy. Fresh.”

“Huh?” Mabel blinked.

“While you were in la-la land, Gideon got tortured by Bill and I was running for my life.” Dipper said quietly. “And he's the only one, aside from Great Uncle Ford, that has been tortured by Bill both physically and mentally like I have. I'm sorry, Mabel, but I need to talk to someone that understands.”

Mabel looked at her hands on top of her desk and went silent, nodding quietly.

Dipper opened his textbook and cringed at the triangles littering the page. It was so hard to not get a twinge of fear every time he looked at them.

**–**

After school ended and he was warming up for track and field practice, Phil approached Dipper. “Hey, Dipper! So, I was looking at the movies. You like ghosts, right?”

“Ghosts? Yeah, ghost stories are fun.” Dipper said as he switched the leg he was stretching.

“Alright! How does this Saturday sound?” Phil asked.

“...Sure. But I'm bringing my sister.” Dipper looked at him. “That okay?”

“That's fine.” Phil gave a thumbs-up, then ran a hand through his hair. “Hey, uh...your sister said I remind you of someone you had trouble with. Can you make sure to tell me when I'm doing that?”

“Well, here's a clue: I start freezing up.” Dipper stood up straight, did one final strength, and then knelt to make sure his laces were secure. “Mabel shouldn't have told you, though. I didn't really want people to know about that.” He glanced at Phil. “How much did she tell you?”

“Just that some guy hurt you.” Phil shrugged. “What happened?”

“Uhm...” Dipper licked his lips, trying to think of how to explain without giving everything away. “My...uncle got involved in a bad group and they attacked me and my sister. She was locked away, pretty safe from harm, but I was...hurt.”

“Hurt how?” Phil looked concerned.

“Uh, I got pushed down some stairs, stabbed in the arm by forks, uhm...the leader sent a couple of his goons after me after taking over the town, so I was pretty much running for my life for three days.” Dipper sighed. “It was...pretty bad. The leader's name was Bill. And he...pretended to be my friend at first. Pretended to be my uncle's friend, too, until he got in his way of something bad.”

“Oh, man...” Phil placed a hand on his head. “A-And he was...blond, I'm guessing?”

Dipper nodded. “Yeah. He was blond. Had a voice kind of like yours, too.”

“Oh man, I'm so sorry.” Phil shook his head. “That must've been terrible to live through!”

“Yeah. But, the important thing is that I lived, and we won.” Dipper nodded firmly. “I just...still have nightmares, that's all.”

Phil nodded. “Well...it could be worse, y'know? When you said 'hurt', my head was thinking of all the horrible news stories about people being attacked in various ways.”

Dipper sighed. “Well, all he did was what I said.” Physically, anyway, but how could he explain the tortures he was put through in the Mindscape?

“Well, that put me at ease.” Phil nodded. “Almost gave me a heart-attack, man.”

“Sorry.” Dipper grinned a bit sheepishly.

“So, uh...want me to dye my hair or something?” Phil asked.

“No, I'll be okay.” Dipper nodded. “Just never wear yellow cats-eye contacts, okay?”

“Aw, there goes my Halloween costume.” Phil laughed a bit.

Dipper chuckled, but felt awkward. “So...uhm...this stays between us, okay? I don't want people, y'know, giving me pity for something they don't understand. I only told you because you deserve to know why your name and your looks set me off.”

Phil nodded. “And why you look like you're terrified when you run?”

Dipper glanced away. “...How many people noticed?”

“I have, Alexis has...not sure about the coach. I think he was too busy admiring your legs in a non-creepy way.” Phil shrugged.

Dipper looked at the field. “...You know, I never really had any interest in track and field. But, I also spent years being the last one picked for anything, so I guess when I was offered I just...”

“Jumped on it?” Phil nodded. “Why would people not pick you?”

“I was the nerd.” Dipper blushed. “Plus, I have a weird birthmark...”

“Birthmark?” Phil asked. Dipper nodded slowly. “Can I see? I promise I won't laugh.”

Dipper looked unsure but pulled his hat off, showing him his birthmark. “See? It's weird.”

“Weird? No, dude, a birthmark shaped like a rhino is weird. THAT is awesome.” Phil nodded.

“A birthmark shaped like a rhino?” Dipper chuckled.

“Oh yeah. It's right above my ass, a nice little rhino-shaped tramp-stamp. Wanna see?” Phil turned around and started to lift his shirt.

“No, no, I'll take your word for it.” Dipper chuckled. “That IS weird.”

“And you've got an awesome one.” Phil turned back to him. “Don't ever let anyone tell you different, that thing is awesome. You're welcome on my team anytime.” He grinned.

Dipper smiled. “Thanks, Phil.”

“Pines! Riker!” The coach called. “Places!”

“Oh man, even your last name rhymes with his.” Dipper laughed a bit.

“Really? What's his last name?” Phil asked as they headed over to the field.

“Cipher.” Dipper sighed. “His name was Bill Cipher.”

“Talk about a weird name.” Phil bent down as Dipper did, taking starting positions. Then the gun went off and they were off and running.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phil's not so bad.  
> Also, Bill is a mob boss, haha.


	7. Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to get to know each other a little better!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD
> 
> ((A/N: Okay, so the reason I have taken so long to update this fic is because with the presence of a transgender character, I needed to learn more about the community as a whole before I could write more. Seeing as Alexis isn't just going to be a one-off background character. I'm also feeling comfortable enough to draw Alexis, so you'll probably be seeing some art for this over on my tumblr once I finalize Alexis' design on "paper".))

“So, how did you get a last name like Riker?” Dipper asked as they walked to the theater from the bus stop.  
  
“Well, funny story. Neither of my parents had that as a last name growing up, but they were serious Trekkies.” Phil laughed. “So they changed their last name legally to Riker when they got married. And then I was born.”  
  
“Do you like Star Trek?” Mabel asked from a few paces ahead of them.  
  
“Don't tell my parents, but noooooot really.” Phil made an “iffy” motion with his hand. “I think it's overexposure, they say things like 'make it so' when they mean 'yes' and it's just...weird.”  
  
“Sounds fun.” Dipper laughed.  
  
“Sure, for the first five years of my life.” Phil made a face. “I'm just lucky that I got named after an uncle instead of a Star Trek character.”  
  
“Hehe, I'd like to meet your parents!” Mabel grinned. “I mean, I'm not really into the nerd shows, but they sound fun!”  
  
“Eh, I guess so. I mean, if you can keep up with them. You might get lost in their conversation if you're not a nerd.” Phil stuck out his tongue playfully.  
  
Dipper nodded, then looked up. “Oh, we're here.”  
  
“Good, let's find out seats and get some popcorn.” Phil led the way in. “I already bought tickets, let me go pick 'em up.” He headed over to a Fandango kiosk.  
  
“We'll head over to get snacks.” Dipper said, leading Mabel over to the line. By the time they got to the counter, Phil had rejoined them.  
  
“We should've invited Alexis.” Mabel commented.  
  
“Uhh, horror films aren't his thing.” Phil shook his head. “I did offer, and he made a face before politely refusing.”  
  
“Well, I'm sure I can handle it.” Mabel nodded firmly.  
  
They got their snacks and headed in. The previews were just ending as they got their seats and sat down, and then they quietly watched as the cheesy graphics and plot carried the story along. Dipper and Mabel didn't even squirm uncomfortably – until the ghost took over the body of a little boy. Then Dipper stiffened up and cringed every time the ghost did something terrible to the boy's body as it controlled it. Mabel frowned and placed her hand on his arm, leaning in to whispers words of comfort and assurance. If Phil noticed, he didn't say anything about it.  
  
After the movie, they stepped outside and Dipper promptly found a place to throw up.  
  
“It wasn't _that_ scary.” Phil frowned.  
  
“He's really not good with people being used as puppets.” Mabel said as she rubbed Dipper's back.  
  
“Something that, uh, Bill did?” Phil asked, concerned.  
  
Dipper nodded, using a napkin to wipe his mouth. “Sorry.” He rasped. Mabel offered him some soda and he gratefully drank it.  
  
“Hey, it's alright, man. Everyone's got their issues.” Phil assured him. “I don't know how that has anything to do with a mob boss you dealt with, but I'll take your word for it.”  
  
Dipper sighed, throwing out the napkin. “Don't feel bad, Phil. You didn't know.” He assured him. “I'll be okay, it just was hitting way too close to home.”  
  
“How so?” Phil asked curiously.  
  
Dipper glanced around and then moved closer to Phil. “...Okay, I'm only going to tell you this once, and then we're not talking about it again, okay? Bill Cipher wasn't human. He didn't just push me down the stairs, he possessed me and threw himself down the stairs in my body.”  
  
Phil's eyes widened. “...Holy shit.”  
  
“Uh-uh. 'Holy' had nothing to do with it.” Dipper stepped away. “So, where to next?”  
  
Phil shook the shock away and looked around. “Well, there's the mall if you wanna check it out.”  
  
“On a Saturday?” Dipper shook his head. “No way, way too crowded.”  
  
“Hah, you wanna talk about crowds? You ever seen a track and field tournament?” Phil looked at Mabel. “What do you think?”  
  
“I think that Dipper's felt uncomfortable enough. Maybe next week.” Mabel grinned.  
  
“Maybe.” Phil nodded, and then paused. “Oh, man. It's a damn good thing I'm Phil and not Will.”  
  
“Why would that be a possibility?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Riker's first name in the show is William.” He breathed a sigh of relief. “Dodged a bullet, there!”  
  
Dipper laughed. “That was a close one!”  
  
“I'm hungry. Can we stop somewhere for food?” Mabel asked.  
  
“Sure, pick a place.” Phil shrugged.  
  
“Anywhere!” Mabel said enthusiastically.  
  
“That's not helping. We could have a picnic on a skyscraper if you want 'anywhere'.” Phil laughed.  
  
“How about Denny's?” Dipper pointed to it on his phone's GPS.  
  
“Well, if that's the best we can do.” Mabel sniffed indignantly, then laughed.  
  
“I don't know _how_ you're still hungry after all that popcorn. Me, I'm not really feeling up to food for a few hours.” Dipper admitted, holding his stomach.  
  
“Come on, let's go find somewhere to play for a bit longer before we eat again.” Phil grinned and led the way down the sidewalk.  
  
–  
  
“You know, your friend Phil is fun.” Mabel said after Phil saw them to the door. “I bet he'd fit right in with my girls!”  
  
“Having been to one of your sleepovers, er, probably not. Those would make any guy uncomfortable.” Dipper shook his head.  
  
“Oh, come on.” Mabel laughed. “I'm gonna snag the shower first!” She ran off to the bathroom.  
  
Dipper found his mother unloading groceries. “Hey, mom.”  
  
“Dipper! How was your playdate?” She asked, turning to him with a smile.  
  
“It went well. Well, expect for the horror movie.” He shivered. “I'm gonna lay down for a bit, okay?”  
  
“Aww. Well, you just let me know if you need anything, okay?” She took something out of one of the bags and went towards the bathroom with it.  
  
Dipper headed up to their room and lay down, pulling out his phone. There were three texts, one from Phil, one from Alexis and the other from...”Gideon.” He checked it and breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
 **[Did your date go okay? Any hallucinations?]**  
  
He'd almost forgotten he'd told him that he was going to be going out to a movie that day. It was nice of the younger boy to check up on him. He shifted his position so he could type better and replied.  
  
 **[Well, not exactly. We saw a movie with someone being controlled by an evil spirit, though, and it made me throw up.]**  
  
He waited a bit and then got his reply.  
  
 **[Gross, Pines. Though, I can understand that. Think you'll be alright to sleep, or do you want me to stay up? I've got no plans tomorrow.]**

 

Dipper smiled a bit. Gideon was trying to be a good friend. **[Nah, I think I'll be okay. Unless you need to stay up? Did anything happen today?]**  
  
 **[No.]** The reply was prompt, and Dipper guessed something _had_ happened. Then, **[I'm okay, Dipper, really. I just...really need a therapist. Also, my father needed a reminder of who I was today, so I'm a bit down.]**  
  
Dipper cringed. That was _his_ fault. Why had he thoughtlessly zapped all of the Society members, knowing what it did to McGucket? And then Stan...  
  
He took a break from Gideon for a bit to check his other texts. The first one was Alexis asking if he wanted to hang out tomorrow, which Dipper replied with a **[Sure, what time?]** and then he checked Phil's text.  
  
 **[I'm sorry for triggering you like that, Dip. Did anything else happen that I should be wary of? I mean, that monster thing sounded brutal...]**  
  
Dipper frowned thoughtfully for a bit. What _did_ trigger flashbacks? Well, running did, but he was trying to get past that. **[Uhm...your hair makes me think of him. But I'll be okay, really!]**  
  
There was a bit of pause before Phil responded, during which time Alexis replied with a **[How about 11am? We can go for breakfast. You can bring your sister if you want, or it can be just us.]** text.  
  
He should really go back and reply to Gideon. He shot off a **[Sounds great! Where are we meeting? Or are you coming to my place?]** text before going back to Gideon's and typing and re-typing a reply before finally sending one:  
  
 **[I...know how that feels. After Weirdmageddon, Stan didn't remember us at all, but over time managed to recover his memories. Just be there for him and he'll be okay.]  
**  
A reply from Phil popped up, so he clicked it.   
  
**[Okay. Don't worry, I'll handle it.]** with a thumbs-up emoji. What did _that_ mean?  
  
“Dipper? Time for your shower!” Mabel called.  
  
Dipper got a reply from Alexis ( **[I'll come to your place. Text me the address?]** ) and a reply from Gideon ( **[Maybe. Actually, you're right. I do need to stay up. Can I call you tonight? Or would that wake Mabel? Are you still in the same room?]** ) and decided both could wait because Mabel was coming in to drag him to the shower.  
  
“Mabel, I'm going!” He laughed, setting his phone down.  
  
“You better, because you have puke-breath.” Mabel held her nose and playfully shoved him to the door.  
  
“Hey, let me get my clothes!” Dipper laughed and went back in to gather up his clothes.  
  
“You should've been doing _that_ while I was showering!” Mabel said, crossing her arms over her chest. “What were you doing this whole time?”  
  
“Texting. I have a social life now.” Dipper stuck out his tongue at him.  
  
“Ohhh, let me see!” Mabel darted for his phone.  
  
“Mabel!” Dipper ran over to stop her.  
  
“It's fine! It's not like you're got a secret girlfriend or anything!” Mabel grinned, then gasped. “Or _do_ you? Dipper Alexander Pines, we've only been back less than a month and you have a girlfriend already?”  
  
“Uh, no. All the people I'm texting are guys. Well, sorta? Yeah, guys. Phil says Alexis is a guy. Still figuring that one out.” He headed out of the room, leaving his phone behind. “Don't dig in my texts!”  
  
Mabel looked at the screen and felt a pang of guilt at Gideon's latest text. And why did it bother her that Dipper was opening up to G _ideon_ but not her? After all, he had already _said_ why. Even if it really hurt...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not easy being a supportive friend.


	8. Gideon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something's bothering Gideon, and it's not just the nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney XD

Mabel watched as Dipper, who had been drinking coffee to wake up, met Alexis at the door and then waved to Mabel as he closed it. Guess she wasn't invited on this playdate. Oh well, she had her own friends to talk to!  
  
...In Gravity Falls. She hadn't made any new ones in Piedmont yet. Sighing, she went to her laptop and opened it, checking to see who was online. To her joy, _everyone_ was! He started up a group chat and buried herself in friendly chatter until her mother called her down for breakfast.  
  
–  
  
“So, Phil told me about your issues with puppets. Hope you don't mind him telling, he's just trying to be supportive.” Alexis said as they walked to the restaurant.  
  
“How much did he tell you?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Not much. Just that the guy was a real creep. He did say something about you being used as a puppet, was it with, like, chains or something? You don't have to say if you don't want to.” Alexis added quickly.  
  
“Uhm...no...no chains.” Dipper shook his head. “Just--” He yawned and covered his mouth quickly. “Whoops, sorry. I was up all night talking with someone.”  
  
“A lover?” Alexis grinned.  
  
“Mm-mm. A fellow victim.” Dipper shook his head. “Like my puppet thing, he can't dance anymore because of Bill.”  
  
“That sounds terrible.” Alexis frowned. “Is he okay?”  
  
“Well...he's moving past it, like I am. He's pretty damaged, though. Hey, uh, subject change, you've got less, uhm, _curves_ in front today.”  
  
“Oh, yeah.” Alexis grinned and raised his shirt a bit. “My parents got me a binder. It's a lot more effective than ace bandages and easier to put on besides. I'd like to see someone call me a girl at school now!” He dropped his shirt.  
  
“Man, you look more like a guy than me now.” Dipper said, laughing a bit. “I mean, look at my noodle arms!”  
  
“You just need to work out.” Alexis grinned. “You've put all that work into your legs, and not enough in your arms. Wanna come to the gym with me and Phil?”  
  
“Sure!” Dipper smiled.  
  
“Anyways, about your friend?” Alexis asked, getting back onto the first topic.   
  
“Oh, yeah. Well, he's only ten years old, so he's pretty traumatized. The creep forced him to dance until he collapsed and then made him get up and dance some more and he's...he's miserable and scared and I feel bad that he's all the way in Oregon and no one else _wants_ to sympathize with him because he was a bad kid before it happened. Like they think he deserved it.”  
  
“That's rotten.” Alexis frowned and opened the restaurant door as they got to it. “No one deserves that kind of treatment, no matter how bad they were before. I mean, it's not like he killed anyone!”  
  
“Well, he tried.” Dipper mumbled. Alexis gave him an alarmed look. “Uh, but that's because of an evil book influencing him! He's really a good kid!”  
  
“Well, I hope he gets through it. At least he has you to talk to. You gonna be wanting coffee?” Alexis asked.  
  
“Yes, please.” Dipper nodded and then they waited to be seated. While waiting, Dipper pulled out his phone and check his texts, smiling a bit when he saw one from Gideon:  
  
 **[Thanks for staying up with me. It helped. I hope it helped you, too.]**  
  
Dipper grinned a bit and sent his reply:  
  
 **[It did, but now I'm having to survive on coffee, so take responsibility. :p]**  
  
“What's so funny?” Alexis hummed.  
  
“Oh, just my friend. He's feeling a bit better after I stayed up with him.” Dipper yawned again.  
  
“You're a good friend.” Alexis smiled. “You know, you should introduce your friend to Phil. He's a jokester, but he can really lighten the mood sometimes.”  
  
“You said before not to let him get to me, when he was flirting with Mabel.” Dipper said, then looked at the waitress as she approached.  
  
“Hey, boys. I'm Sally, and I'll be your server this morning. Can I get you started on some drinks?” She asked.  
  
“Coffee with milk.” Alexis said, smiling.  
  
“I'll have the same.” Dipper nodded.  
  
“Alright, here's some menus to look over and then I'll be back with your drinks.” She walked away.  
  
Alexis smiled brightly after her and looked at Dipper. “That's the first time I haven't had to tell someone I'm _not_ dating the guy I'm with.”  
  
“Well, you've got that binder-thing.” Dipper shrugged. “Anyways, when you said that earlier I just assumed that he was a troublemaker, but he's actually really nice.”  
  
“Oh, that wasn't serious. If he was with us, he would've elbowed me in the side and laughed.” Alexis grinned. “Sorry I confused you.”  
  
“Nah, it's okay. I was honestly nervous about him anyway, since he looks like, well, my tormentor. I mean, blonde hair...and he wore yellow and black...” Dipper sighed.  
  
“I can't begin to imagine the kind of crap you went through, but we're both here for you. And your sister, if she needs it.” Alexis took Dipper's hand.  
  
“Thanks. She might, I mean, she didn't exactly go through what I did, but she's got some trauma. I think spending time with Phil yesterday was good for her.” Dipper nodded.  
  
The waitress came back and Alexis let go of Dipper's hand. “Here you go, dears.” She set down their coffees. “Do you know what you'd like to eat, or do you need some more time?”  
  
“Oh, can we have a bit more time?” Dipper smiled apologetically.  
  
“Okay, then. I'll be back in a bit.” Sally walked away.  
  
They opened their menus and looked over the breakfast selections. “So, how long have you known Phil, anyway?” Dipper asked. “Because if would've been awesome to have met you guys sooner. Did you not go to Eggbert Elementary?”  
  
“No, I went to Lowdown Elementary.” Alexis shook his head. “And Phil moved here during the summer, he was in Seattle, Washington before this. Apparently he went to conventions a lot as a kid, there's a big sci-fi convention there that often has guests from Star Trek and other sci-fi shows.”  
  
“Wow.” Dipper laughed. “I don't think I've ever been to a convention, but my uncle would love that.”  
  
“Maybe you can go next time.” Alexis shrugged. “Ask Phil, he'll be glad to have someone to talk to besides his parents.”  
  
“Alright, I will.” Dipper grinned. “I can see if my uncles will be around the mainland at that time, too. They live on a boat, and go on amazing adventures!”  
  
“Sounds awesome.” Alexis grinned.  
  
–  
  
“Welcome back.” Mabel greeted as Dipper came in with Alexis. “And hello to you, Alexis!”  
  
“Hello, Mabel.” Alexis nodded with a smile.  
  
“Mabel, Alexis and I are going to be playing dungeons, Dungeons and More Dungeons, did you wanna join us?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Uhm, maybe later. I gotta get this routine down.” Mabel went to turn her music on again.  
  
“Mabel, sweetie, you've been practicing since breakfast. Take a break and spend time with your brother.” Mrs. Pines said, looking up from her knitting.  
  
“Oh, alright.” She left the CD player. “Lead on, Dungeon Master!”  
  
“Come on, let's set up in the spare room of the garage.” Dipper smiled and went to get out the game box.  
  
Mabel walked up to him asd he was digging around you. “You knoooow, I notice that Alexis is a redhead.”  
  
Dipper bumped his head on the shelf and groaned. “Owww. What?! I've barely known him a week!”  
  
“Is everything okay?” Alexis asked, concerned.  
  
“Yes, we're fine.” Dipper assured him.  
  
“You barely knew Wendy a week and you braved a haunted community store to impress her!” Mabel retorted.  
  
“That—I—stop!” Dipper pushed the DDMD box against her face and shut the box it was in. “No! No matchmaking! No more! That doesn't end well!”  
  
“The snadger is awesome!” Mabel insisted.  
  
“But locking us in with a shapeshifter is NOT.” Dipper huffed, then realized they weren't alone and looked at Alexis and Mrs. Pines.  
  
“Oh, don't mind me, dear. You can continue talking about your campaign last summer.” Mrs. Pines smiled.   
  
Alexis looked up from his phone. “Hm? Are you done talking?”  
  
“Yeah, we're done.” Dipper nodded and carried the box out to the garage. “C'mon, this way.”  
  
–  
  
“Okay, so fill out your character sheets and we'll get started.” Dipper said, checking his phone. There was a text from Gideon, so he clicked it while waiting for them.  
  
 **[It's getting colder. Father and mother took me shopping for new clothes today, they've already started putting out Halloween decorations. Personally, I'm thinking of skipping. I've had enough demons and goblins for the year.]**  
  
Dipper chuckled a bit and sent a reply. **[Hey, at least these ones aren't real. But I don't blame you for thinking of skipping. Especially with how the town thinks of you still.]**  
  
“I still have no idea what this stuff means.” Mabel commented as she played with one of the dice.  
  
“Well, it's explained in the manual here.” Alexis showed it to her.  
  
Gideon's reply came and Dipper shifted a bit as he read it.  
  
 **[I'm tempted to go visit you in California, but I have school so that will have to wait until the next break...]**  
  
Dipper looked up at Mabel. “Just fill in your character name and hair and eye color and we'll go over stats and races after.”  
  
“Oh, okay.” Mabel started writing on her sheet as Alexis did the same. “There's not enough room~!”  
  
“Please keep it to a character name that will fit. Just like in a video game.” Dipper rolled his eyes and replied to Gideon. **[That would be great. My friends are interested in meeting you, and it'd be cool to have you over for Christmas. Wait, do you celebrate Christmas?]  
  
** “Boo, I want to call myself Kitty-Kitty-Glitter-Sprinkles-the-Third!” Mabel pouted.  
  
“Maybe just write Kitty and introduce yourself as that in-story?” Alexis chuckled.   
  
“Oh! Good idea!” Mabel went back to writing.  
  
Dipper shook his head with an amused smile and checked his phone.  
  
 **[Yeah, I celebrate it. Might be nice, getting out of town for the winter break. I'll talk to my parents about it. Oh, and we have to clear it with the sheriff, too...but it should be okay, since I'm visiting you two.]**  
  
Dipper frowned a bit and quickly sent a reply. **[Why do you have to clear it with the sheriff?]  
**  
There was a bit of a wait, during which time he helped Mabel and Alexis roll their stats, before Gideon sent his reply.  
  
 **[It's too much to say over text. Can I just call you? Are you busy?]  
**  
Dipper looked at Mabel and Alexis. “Gideon wants to call me, you two alright with that?”  
  
“Sure, go ahead.” Mabel smiled.  
  
“Great.” Dipper accessed Gideon in his contacts and hit the button to call him. It took a couple rings before Gideon responded.  
  
“Hullo?”  
  
“Hey, you said you needed to talk over the phone?” Dipper asked.  
  
“...Hold on. I need to go somewhere a bit more private. I'll call you back.” Gideon hung up.  
  
“Short call.” Alexis commented, seeing Dipper lower the phone.  
  
“He'll call me back.” Dipper shrugged.  
  
“I'm gonna get snacks!” Mabel got up and ran for the kitchen.  
  
Dipper's phone vibrated in his hand and he answered it. “Hey, what's up?”  
  
“Okay...I think I'm far enough in they won't follow me. So, after you left, a couple people tried going out of town to see a therapist about what happened. Well, the mayor didn't like that. So, he got more people on the police force and set a rule that any of us from this town can't leave it without first telling the Sheriff where we're going and when we'll be returning and we have to keep a record of everything we did while we're out. And I'm _especially_ being watched closely because I had dealings with Bill.” Gideon explained in a hushed voice.   
  
“You're kidding me. Tyler arranged this?” Dipper frowned.  
  
“Your family aren't technically citizens, and Stan doesn't remember most of Weirdmageddon, so they can't make you all comply. But it's made moving plans hard for a lot of people, since they have to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and check in to make sure that they aren't telling anyone.” Gideon went on.  
  
“Why all this...security?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Because those two people told the government. Luckily the agents were convinced that those two were 'tripping', but it's made people very cautious. We don't want any trouble from the government, or any 'demon hunters'.” Gideon sighed heavily. “So...I like the idea of going to Piedmont to visit you in California, but...I'd have to clear it with the authorities, first.”  
  
“That's rough. Sorry you have to deal with that.” Dipper frowned, pursing his lips a bit tightly. Mabel came back with the snacks and noticed his expression.  
  
“This town has always been a little crazy. I mean, they were zapping peoples' minds for years, this isn't so far-fetched.” Gideon laughed a bit bitterly. “I think I hear someone coming, they must've followed me in. I'll talk to you later.” He hung up.  
  
“So...what's going on?” Mabel asked, concerned.  
  
“The Never Mind All That Act is being enforced.” Dipper frowned, lowering his phone. “I never knew Tyler Cutebiker was the type.”  
  
“He's just being careful.” Mabel shrugged. “I mean, the whole thing freaked him out as much as everyone else.”  
  
“Yeah, but there's being careful and then there's...let's just play, I'll tell you everything later.” Dipper sighed and picked up her character sheet. “Mabel...why does she have so many pockets?”  
  
“To hold kittens in!” Mabel beamed.  
  
Alexis laughed. “Makes sense to me!”  
  
“Alright, to hold kittens in.” Dipper shrugged and set it down. “Let's see yours, Alexis.”  
  
–  
  
After playing until just before dinner, Alexis said he had to go home and packed up his bag. Dipper and Mabel walked him to the door and waved as he left before Mabel turned to him. “So...what's going on?”  
  
“Upstairs.” Dipper shook his head and headed up to their room.  
  
Once up there, Dipper told Mabel everything Gideon had said. By the end of it, her jaw was dropped.  
  
“We've only been gone TWO WEEKS!” She held her head in disbelief. “What is HSPPENING over there?! Why has no one else talked about this?! I gotta...laptop!” She went to her laptop and turned on the chat. “Let's see, who's on, who's on...Wendy!” She clicked her name and initiated a video chat.   
  
Wendy picked up after a bit. “Hey, Mabel! And Dipper, wow. Haven't seen you in a little while.” She grinned at them, adjusting the pine tree hat a bit as she shifted in her seat. “What's up? You look spooked.”  
  
“Gideon told Dipper about what's going on over there.” Mabel said, getting right into it. “Why didn't you say anything?”  
  
Wendy's grin faltered and she looked over her shoulder a bit before leaning in. “Gideon did _what_?” He asked in a hushed voice.  
  
“Why didn't you say anything?” Mabel repeated.  
  
“Oh no. Oh, no, no, no. Oh, he's in trouble.” Wendy groaned, rubbing her temples. “You weren't supposed to know...”  
  
“Why didn't you tell us?” Dipper asked now.  
  
“Because we're not _allowed_ to. I don't know _what_ kind of loophole Gideon used, but we're being watched at all times because they don't want any trouble. Honestly, I hate it. But, I'd hate getting in trouble with the mayor a lot more. My oldest brother joined the force, says that he wants to keep everyone safe. Luckily he's out right now, but...gods, I shouldn't even be talking to you about this!” Wendy stood up and paced a bit. “You know, he actually asked if I wanted to be a cop? I said no.”  
  
“...Wendy?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Oh, by the way, the government guys found Bill's statue. They tried to take it with them, thought it was cool or something, but it wouldn't budge. They said they'd come back, and the mayor's commissioned McGucket to make another memory gun to protect the town.”  
  
“You're _kidding_.” Dipper frowned.  
  
“No, I'm not. Weirdmageddon freaked everyone out, everyone is on edge, checking out eyes, changing triangles into other things, the Mystery Shack got its windows replaced with squares.” Wendy stopped pacing and turned to them. “Look, I'll check in on Gideon. Maybe, since it was just you, they might let him off easy. I mean, you weren't supposed to know, but chances are that you would've found out anyway. I mean, you're _you_. You solved mysteries no one even _knew_ needed to be solved.”  
  
Dipper blushed a bit. “Yeah, I guess I did.”  
  
“Yeah. So, maybe they'll let him off easy. Maybe, since he told you, they won't be expecting him to tell a therapist in secret.” Wendy sat back down. “So...how have you been, Dipper?”  
  
“Oh, y'know...nightmares, hallucinations, trauma. All that good stuff involved with intimately knowing Bill Cipher.” Dipper leaned on Mabel's chair a bit. “I made a couple friends, that's pretty cool.”  
  
“That is cool.” Wendy grinned. “Oh, by the way. I found something in the woods...” She held up a tan hat with a star on it. “Weren't you wearing this when you first came here?”  
  
“My old hat!” Dipper laughed. “I thought it was gone forever!”  
  
“Well, it's a bit chewed up, but otherwise okay.” Wendy shrugged. “I'll keep it for your next visit.”  
  
“So...how did things get so bad in two weeks?” Dipper asked.  
  
“Dipper, just...stop asking questions, okay? Gideon shouldn't have told you at all, and it's not safe for _me_ to, so just...drop it, okay?” Wendy shook her head.  
  
“Alright.” Dipper sighed.  
  
“Still got my hat? It was my dad's, so I hope you don't lose it.” Wendy raised an eyebrow.  
  
“Nope, not lost.” Dipper walked over and picked it up from his bedpost, putting it on. “See?”  
  
“Awesome.” Wendy grinned. “So, tell me about these friends of yours.”  
  
Dipper and Mabel started to excitedly talk about Phil Riker and Alexis Grayson, filling up the next hour with talk about how they met and what they'd been doing with them since then. Wendy listened eagerly as they talked, nodding and laughing at the proper moments, and at some point Dipper saw one of her brothers peek into her room, wearing a police uniform, before he walked away.   
  
After their call with Wendy ended, he checked his phone and sent a text to Gideon:  
  
 **[Are you okay?]  
  
** By the time he went to bed, Gideon hadn't responded. He didn't sleep well that night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, Gideon did done goofed.
> 
> ((A/N: I made a cover for this fanfic! http://zonerobotnik.tumblr.com/post/170362492127/when-dipper-runs-he-remembers-running-for-his ))

**Author's Note:**

> Dipper is suffering.


End file.
